"Is not the object of every Revelation to effect a transformation in the whole character of mankind, a transformation that shall manifest itself, both outwardly and inwardly, that shall affect both its inner life and external conditions?"

Ashkabad, Turkestan (Completed 1908, Demolished in 1962)

Baha'i House of Worship in Ashkabad, Turkestan (Completed 1908, Demolished in 1962)

Completed around 1908, the Ashkhabad House of Worship served the Baha'i community of that region until 1938, when the site was appropriated by the Soviet Government. The building was demolished in 1962 after being damaged by an earthquake.

The Ashkhabad House of Worship was in many ways ahead of its time. In addition to serving as a spiritual center for the thriving Baha'i community in that region, it gave practical expression to the community's humanitarian ideas. Attached to it were a number of subsidiaries, including a hospital, a school, and a hostel for travelers.